FB: Kettering Archbishop Alter 49, 2A #16 Guerin Catholic 21

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By E. Shawn Aylsworth
Managing Editor

NOBLESVILLE – Notre Dame-bound quarterback Malik Zaire did not fail to deliver Aug. 31, throwing three touchdowns and running for two more to lead Kettering Archbishop Alter to a 49-21 victory at Class 2A No. 16 Guerin Catholic.

The 6’2½”, 205-pound senior lefty directed the Knights to three TD drives in the opening period as Alter took control of this one early in front of a standing-room-only crowd at the suburban Indianapolis parochial school.

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO PLAYER TO THE RIGHT OF THE PAGE FOR HIGHLIGHTS AND POSTGAME INTERVIEWS, PLUS A PHOTO GALLERY!!

The first path to paydirt took up only five plays and 1:59, with Zaire (5 of 6 for 115 yards passing, nine carries for 92 yards on the ground) lofting a pass to Jordan George on a 39-yard scoring strike in which George took a double-crunch hit, bounced off and rumbled into the end zone just 3:34 into the game.

After a three-and-out possession, Alter Score No. 2 came one play after sophomore Dusty Hayes returned a punt 35 yards to the Guerin 2 when senior running back Mitchell Burnette plowed across the goal line with 3:49 left in the first.

The third tally took 43 seconds as Zaire moved the Knights nine yards on a pass before hooking up with senior tight end Ben Suttman on a 32-yard aerial TD with 65 seconds left in the quarter.

Not a bad first 12 minutes for Zaire, who was 3 of 4 for 80 yards with a pair of TD passes. (And oh, yeah. The Knights’ defense limited the home-standing Eagles to zero first downs and five punts.)

But Zaire’s questionable fumble on a four-yard run in which he appeared to be down near the beginning of the second quarter allowed Guerin Catholic to mount its most effective drive of the game – even if a pair of personal foul defensive penalties gave the Eagles a huge boost.

Moving 80 yards in nine plays, Guerin used up 3:37 before senior TE Danny Murray put the Eagles on the board with a 10-yard TD pass from 6’3”, 215-pound junior QB Michael Myers on 4th & 1 just over five minutes into the second stanza.

Plenty of time, in other words, for Alter’s high-powered offense to strike before halftime. Twice.

MORE TO COME!!

The box score:

SCORE BY QUARTERS     1Q     2Q     3Q     4Q     Final
Kettering Alter                    21     14    14     0     49
Guerin Catholic                   0     14     7      0     21

Alter – Jordan George 39 pass from Malik Zaire (Michael Ruffolo kick)
Alter – Mitchell Burnette 3 run (Craft kick)
Alter – Ben Suttman 32 pass from Zaire (Craft kick)
GC – Daniel Murray 10 pass from Michael Myers (George Poppas kick)
Alter – Zaire 8 run Craft kick)
GC – Myers 5 run (Poppas kick)
Alter – Greg Hart 28 pass from Zaire (Craft kick)
Alter – Zaire 20 run (Craft kick)
GC – Drew Dehnke 1 run (Poppas kick)
Alter – Burnette 1 run (Craft kick)

Passing
                        CMP     ATT     YDS     TD     INT     
Archbishop Alter
Malik Zaire         5     6     115     3     0     

Guerin Catholic
Michael Myers         22     38     256     1     2

Rushing
                        RUSH     YDS     TD    
Archbishop Alter
Danny Smith         8     48     0     
Tyler Hudson         7     42     0     
Mitchell Burnette     6     41     2     
TOTAL            31     226     4     

Guerin Catholic
Drew Dehnke         9     15     1     
Michael Myers         6     1     1     
Anthony Buran         2     -6     0     
TOTAL            17     10     2    

Receiving
                        REC     YDS     TD    
Archbishop Alter
Jordan George         2     61     1    
B Suttman         1    32     1     
Greg Hart         1     28     1     
TOTAL            5     133     3     

Guerin Catholic
Sammy Adams         11     119     0     
Daniel Murray         4     26     1     
TOTAL             22     256     1